cul de sac

No through road

A cul de sac is a street closed at one end, typically widening into a circular turnaround.

The French phrase means "bottom of the bag." Cul de sacs are common in suburban residential developments, prized for low traffic and child safety.

Figuratively, a cul de sac is any situation with no way forward: The negotiations had reached a cul de sac.

deadend

impasse

Situation without resolution

blind alley · no through road · turnaround · barrier · blockage · obstruction · stopping point · endpoint

loop

turnaround

Shift in opposite direction

  • circleCurved closed shape
  • bulbRounded storage organ
  • courtTrial venue or sports surface

roundabout · turning circle · hammerhead · radius

suburban

neighborhood

Residential area nearby

tract · housing · homes · streetscape · quiet street · family · sidewalk · driveway · lawn · garage

secluded

privacy

Freedom from observation

sanctuary · haven · solitude · quietude · sheltered · peaceful · undisturbed · tucked away · private drive · exclusive

Categories
Opposites
traffic flow/passage

cul de sacthoroughfare

Main public road

arterial road · main road · highway · boulevard · bypass

connectivity/options

cul de sacintersection

Point where paths meet

junction · crossroads · hub · interchange · open road

figurative situation (trapped vs. free)

cul de sacway out

Means of departure

open road · breakthrough · escape route · clear path · opportunity

Family

sac, culs-de-sac

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G